


Danganronpa: Peaking Panic

by Enforcergotbuffed



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Gen, Murder Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2020-09-26 23:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20397565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enforcergotbuffed/pseuds/Enforcergotbuffed
Summary: OC killing game set in an abandoned skii resort at the top of a mountain, has some ties to the main story. 6 chapters and a prologue featuring 5 murder mysteries as per usual. I'll split every chapter between daily life and deadly life and every deadly life into investigation segments and trial segments.It's my first time writing a fanfic, be easy on me or I'll cry.





	1. Prologue - We hope you enjoyed (your) first class.

The school building shone unabashedly in the midst of a normal, boring city the likes of which you'd find anywhere in the world. It's almost as if it knows it's the focus of the entire world to an extent. 

In fact simply being mentioned in anything related to the place is a huge deal, guaranteed to bring you fortune, glory, and fame in your life. Its students are recognised globally as masters of their craft, soon to be leading their own industries. The idea that being involved with the school letalone attending it will set you for the remainder of your life is practically a well known fact.

You'd be crazy to abhor and despise the idea of joining such a place wouldn't you? The simple act of having any opinion regarding it that's in any manner less than sucking up to it is a crime. A sin nobody can forgive. Something that will get wide exclamations pointed at you from everyone in this stupid little blue rock we're floating on. _"How dare you?"_ They screech, _"To think that you would think such a thing of such a luxurious establishment that so graaacefully gave you this opportunity in life."_

Honestly? Fuck Hope's Peak. Fuck it. I'm probably the only person in the world with the _G-G-GALL!!_ to say such a thing about it aside from jealous internet trolls who hide behind their anonymity to shit fling. Had I the choice, I would've refused their invitation the second I received it. Yeah, why wouldn't I spend such an important part of my life stuck with the people I hate the most in the world _amirite?_

...Ah well, life's life. Nothing I can do about it now I suppose. Especially not when I'm standing right in front of its gates at this very moment.

_Hello Hope's Peak._

_How's your day going?_

_Comfy? _

_Cozy? _

_Neat and tidy? _

_Great! Mine's kinda **shit** let me tell you._

My name is Kio Hadachi. From today onwards I will be referred to by my official fancy title, The Ultimate Talent Scout. A couple months ago my family was sent a letter that contained a very prim and proper invitation to this place. Turns out neither my Mom nor my Dad will allow me to turn down such an opportunity in life. I'm almost surprised. 

Worst part is, they're inviting me for what I can only assume is a misunderstanding on their part. Talent? Me? This?? Really????  
Frankly my _"""talent"""_ is a curse at best. A stinky pile of shit that has been following me since my conception and will follow me to my grave. The term "Scout" implies that I am the one seeking them out, not the other way around. This is plainly fucking incorrect though. For as long as I can remember I've lived my life surrounded by talented people. They just come out of the woodworks at a pace unprecedented around me. 

_"Why is this a bad thing?", "Why do you seem so salty about it?"_ well ya see, never in my life have I ever won anything. It's not that I don't work hard and try my best either you know? It's just that every time. Every single fucking time I try anything, someone with an exorbitant amount of talent pops in from what I can only assume is the empty colorless void and stomps me into the ground effortlessly, not even noticing I was there in the first place. It's almost like I'm taking a back seat on my own life you know? A real humbling experience if you want to call it that, I mean it's not like I've ever considered myself good at anything specifically. Most people I know would call me average.

Talented people are like rats... No, cockroaches. **A plague. **

Anyways, there is nothing special, nothing interesting, nothing of note about me, even if the school would rather you believe something else.

Have I told you that I "discovered" most of my soon-to-be class? I was the one who brought them to the attention of Hope's Peak years ago. Unwillingly, but that's not the point. Hope's Peak never gave me a cent for my work, its a very heart-warming feeling. I mean I did your job for you guys, least you could do is bring some cash money bing bang dollar signs my way. Not even saying thanks feels stealing candy from a baby level low.  
Anyways I'm digressing.

Apparently I've got to do a number of things before the entrance ceremony so I guess I could spare some time to chat with you a little while I walk around the campus eh? 

Along with the letter of acceptance we were given a really, _really_ ugly brown uniform, but I've been walking around this campus for a while now and I haven't seen anyone wear it. Not like I'm one to talk, I mean I'm in black jeans and a white t-shirt from this really cool band I'm willing to bet you've never heard of. I kinda lost sight of the uniform when I woke up so I just put on the first shirt I saw and ran to school. In hindsight it wasn't the brightest idea to strip the most eccentric people in the country of their personalities with the ugliest uniforms known to man I suppose. Seems like it'd be inevitable for nobody to use them with how lax regulations on us all are.

I was told the campus had been rebuilt recently. I mean not, _yaknow_, recently-recently. I mean it was rebuilt a number of years ago from scratch. It was before my era, but supposedly Hope's Peak had gone through some harsh, harsh times back then. Some disaster had fallen on them and they were forced to start back from zero. That would explain why it's so different from all the photos of the campus I could find online. It took me wayyy too fucking long to find the infirmary. Serves me right for losing the clothes, maps, and guides they gave me to prepare me almost instantly. It's a little bit of a rough start to have my first experience in this place be medical tests but I get the point so I won't complain.

As I step into the MRI scanner and attempt to relax my body a wave of unnatural discomfort washes over me. As if in just a couple seconds every cell in my body broke into a nervous sweat, **_screaming_** to be let out. My legs and arms wouldn't listen to me anymore. It was almost like my mind had separated from my body and I was spectating these events from a third person camera, even if I wanted to make a guttural screech of fear nothing would happen. My eyes painfully aware that I was going through what I could only assume was a dangerously vivid panic attack couldn't help but dart around my small medical container asking themselves if it could also serve as a _coffin_. And then it all went black.

"..."

"..."

_"..w-...what the fuck..."_

"M-my head... Fuck! It's... It's really fucking splitting open right now..!"

"Where the fuck.... this isn't... the infirmary."

As I stumbled my way back on my feet from the floor to the sound of my 4th consecutive F-bomb, I couldn't help but notice something was wrong with my surroundings. The **warm** and **white** hospital setting I was in was suddenly _cold_, _metallic_, and _dark_. My first baby steps echoed into the wide and scary emptiness that expanded in front of me. Mountains of crates. Both metallic and wooden. I appeared to be in a storage area. A very big, dark, creepy storage area at that.

Have I been... _kidnapped_? I... I really don't fucking know what's happening right now. It's like I teleported. One moment I'm having a medical exam and the next I'm lying on the floor groaning. I'm not... tied up or anything though... Either my kidnapper put way too much faith in his chloroform to last or I'm missing something. You see kidnappings and hostage situations happening in warehouses in the media all the time so all these crates are probably not a good sign. It's honestly really hard to tell with this brain busting migraine. 

Something feels seriously wrong though and I can't quite tell what... 

No. I... I think I know what's been bugging me so much.

_...H-how was I... taken here...?_

I was in the middle of the most important school in the country! I know for a fact it employs graduates as staff, and more specifically private security. Was my kidnapper someone so powerful they could just ignore the most talented guards in the world..? W-what have I gotten myself into..? Is this some sort of initiation from the school...? A prank of sorts?

_"...Hello? Anyone in here..?"_

I thoughtlessly spoke up and immediately regretted it. What was I even expecting to get? A response from a fellow kidnappee? A Hope's Peak staff member to calm me down and tell me this was all just a school trip and that I had passed out on the way and lost my memory of it? This situation was clearly fucking unusual. Wrong. If this was some form of prank then nobody would answer me, and if I was in fact being currently kidnapped I would just be telling my kidnapper that I'm awake. Even as I thought about this getting absolutely no answer sent despairful shivers down my spine. Silence. 

At the very least I would like to find a wall. I've been walking in a direction for a while with my hands out in front of me and I haven't found anything but crates and more crates. Every now and then I get some glimpses of light from the ceiling, as if it's not quite put on right, or as if there's a small window that keeps getting blocked by something. It won't allow my eyes to get used to the dark. Fuck man this is really fucking unnervin-

**K A C L A N k**

**"MOTHERFUCKER, MOTHER OF CHRIST ALMIGHTY, HOLY FUCKING SHIT STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM M-"**

A small blueish metal crate had fallen behind me. Randomly.

"...Haha, oh my god I'm not dead. A christmas bloody miracle. A real motherfucking gift from god. No machete man to chase me, no axe maniac to chop me up, and no chainsaw freak screaming his bloody heart out."

_"...My fucking heart."_

My girlish screams had eased the tension just enough for me to notice that it hadn't fallen randomly for no reason. It was very slight but... The place I was in was rocking back and forth. ...Am I on a boat? Could help explain why I feel so sick right about now. 

I'm an atheist by the way. Just thought I should mention that. Regardless of how many times I call upon the Lord while in a senseless panic it is all simply a figure of speech capische? I mean, my current situation is proof he doesn't exist. Hell, you could argue my life is proof. Surely he'd send an angel my way to assist me out of this situation right?

_? : "...u-urgh..."_

I was barely able to register the perfectly timed moan from across the room. Someone else was in here with me, and guessing by the noticeable discomfort in their tone of voice I'd be willing to bet it was someone in my same situation.

"h-Hello?! Are you alright? Where are you- I'm coming to get you! Please speak t- w-wHAAAATT THEE FUUUU-"

My attempts at conversing with another human being had been swiftly denied by the most incredible thing to happen yet. Free falling. The entire place had started free falling. It was just for a moment, but as my feet rose from the ground along with multiple crates near me my life flashed across my eyes. It was kinda boring and depressing. Needless to say after some seconds of screaming and flailing around helplessly in midair, the box we were contained in eventually met its destination.

Or as many would call it, the ground.

# CATHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNK

CC-CRANK CLUNK

KATHUNK CLUNG  
CLANK  
THUNK CATHUNK THUNK CATLANK

? : "-UCKING SHIII-UGH!" CLIN-CLIN-CLINK  
CLANK KRATHUNK

? : "-g-GAH!" CLUNK  
TUNK CLANK  
BADUNK  
LARNK ? : "-UWAAAAAH!!!"  
BLUNK CLUNK

_....clunk_

**"FUCK! MY HEAD! AAAAGGHHHGHGH SHIT MOTHERFUCKER"**

I had barely any time to consider that this time my head may have in fact been split open by the cold hard hatchet that is the ground before multiple other screams of pain and discomfort arose from all around me. These included: screams, F-bombs, and a tiny bit of crying. Atleast 10 people were stuck in here with me. Maybe my luck is turning around? or uh maybe not. This huge fucking red throbbing bump on my head says otherwise. This is still a horrible situation.

Once I had finished counting the screams in my head, almost on point, something huge started creaking a little. Afterwards a blindingly bright light started to shine into our containment from every direction around me. The walls were falling. The ceiling along with the wall directly in front of me unfolded and slowly revealed the outside world as if it was just an origami cube like the ones I made when I was a kid. 

White. Very white. From warm and white, to cold and dark, to cold and white we had found the end of our journey. A winter wonderland. Snow as far as your eyes could see. A couple pine trees and what appeared to be a very smudged up tiny cabin thanks to my sub par eyesight, which I refused to get checked out.

_ "....yihihihihi..."_

**MICROPHONE STATIC**

"Oh dangit, is this thing on?!"

"Ah well."

_"Ahem-"_


	2. Isaac Asidog VS. The 16 Stooges - P1

???: "Anyways, if you lads could gather at the middle of the Junkyard so I can explain what's going on and all of those thingamajiggers that'd be pretty dang cool. Just look for the sleazy looking kid with a bad hairdo, can't miss 'im."

*ZZSZT*

Moments after the walls disassembled themselves I was hit by a wave of sheer cold. It was like somebody had thrown me into the middle of the arctic out of nowhere. Or well yeah that was exactly what had happened. I was too distracted by my bones vibrating and creaking in the cold to care that the voice coming from the speakers had just insulted me. I quickly huddled behind some crates in the vain hope that they would stave off some of the wind. A white tshirt was clearly not suited to this environment and I was taking the full brunt of my decision not to search for the considerably warmer school uniform back home. I had read somewhere that cursing let you endure things for longer and so I was whispering a couple "Fuck" and some more "Shit" to myself through chattering teeth. 

I'm not gonna lie for a moment I got really worried for my life there but a little in the distance was my salvation. One of the crates had shattered upon impact and inside it lied some type of cloth. Hooray for coincidence! As I shivered over to the broken box I was met with quite a bit of winter clothing. After diving in it and gleefully regaining my body temperature I picked out a simple hooded jacket with a fur trim to protect me. It worked even better than I expected. I couldn't feel the cold at all.

Now that I was not in danger of freezing to death I decided to finally explore my surroundings a little. That mocking voice that reminded me of some kind of smug child came from a nearby pole with speakers and a tv slapped on. The tv featured what I assumed was the origin of the voice, a shadow of a seemingly fat kid drinking wine. He had called this place the Junkyard and looking at it now I can't say I disagree with the name in the slightest. Outside the leftovers of the little containment area I was dropped in were mountains of trash and scrap and a couple cranes. I couldn't see the vehicle that had airdropped me into this place along with the box I was in so I'll assume that in the time I was freezing to death it was able to just simply leave.

I'm pretty sure I'm standing where the voice told everyone to gather so I'll just continue looking around for now while I wait. In the opposite direction from the Junkyard, towards were that cabin I thought I saw earlier were more than a couple homey, wooden buildings. I strained my eyes and cupped my hands near my face making invisible binoculars in order to gaze at what appeared to be a little resort in front of me along with 16 somewhat roughed up but still cozy looking cabins. Then I noticed what was behind the little resort and it all clicked inside my head with a sound akin to someone obliterating a strawberry with a sledgehammer.

What lied in front of me was a skii resort. The kind you'd find on, well, uh, if the intimidating and horrible thing that is behind the skii resort is any indication, a mountain. There's a peak right there. A-and if I look behind me towards the Junkyard, at some point in the far off distance there's a drop. A fucking drop. My knees almost buckled at this seemingly nonsensical turn of events. There isn't anything even resembling a mountain anywhere near I live. I could only really let out a tired and nervous laugh at the thought that I was taken out of the goddamn state I lived in. Hell, maybe even the country.

Kio: "...H-hahaha..Haha! What the fuck! What the fuck is even happening anymore?! Hahahahaa... Oh my god I'm fucked."

I was so caught up in this fucked up joke of a situation that the only thing that could've possibly snapped me out of it would've been a "...Hey!" from another living being.

???: "...Hey!"

Kio: "Oh my god yes."

Apparently the rest of the people stuck here with me here had grouped up on the way and were now using the crazy person laughing like a maniac as some sort of beacon to the center of the Junkyard.

Kio: "...Oh my god no. Please."

All it took was a single glance in their direction for my comedy to turn into a tragedy. They were all Ultimates. All of them had a talent. I could tell from the way they walked, what they wore, and from that one "...Hey!" they said in my direction a bit ago. In fact these people happened to also be from my Hope's Peak class. I already knew about 8 of them since I had been the one to introduce them to Hope's Peak in the first place. Of all the people to get stuck in a hostage situation with it had to be these nutsacks. 

I'm unsure if I should consider the fact that it's the entire class a good or bad sign. 

It means that it's more likely that this really was just some odd form of school trip.

On the other hand if some third party had managed to kidnap not one kid but an entire goddamn class right out of the most prestigious school in the country then I shudder to imagine what they're capable of. 

Hey, look at the bright side, maybe my talent will call upon me the Ultimate Hostage Situation Dealer-With-Person and I'll be able to go back home to act like this was all an incredibly bad hallucination. On the other hand now that I think about it it's not all that farfetched that I'm here because of the Ultimate Kidnapper or someth-

Scruffy 70s Biker: "Yo there pal! We were uh, a little confused by this entire situation and you seemed to be having an uh, moment there. Not to interrupt or anything but bro, if you could tell us what's going on that'd be sorta swell ya'know?"

It seems they hadn't heard my heartfelt plea for them to go away. Oh well. I guess I don't really have much of a reason to antagonize these people even if I do despise talent. They're probably in the same situation I am after all. I just really wish that for once in my life something didn't have to do with talent.

Kio: "Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but I'm in the same situation you guys are. Have you noticed that we're on a fucking mountain yet?"

Scruffy 70s Biker: "A what?"

Kio: "A mountain."

Scruffy 70s Biker: "...Holy hell you're right. A mountain."

Shy Glasses Girl: "A-a mountain?"

Kio: "Yep, A mountain."

Mad Scientist: "A mountain!"

Tall Redheaded Girl: "...A mounta-"

Speaker Voice: "H-hey! Heeyy!!! Stop ignoring me! I was going to wait for you guys to finish speaking like a nice person with modals, but nope, out of patience! I'm not gonna sit here to watch you guys parrot back that word over and over. If I had to sit through you guys say 'A mountain' one more time I would have exploded into a cloud of rage! (Excuse me for my language dear sister but) Fuck you guys we're starting right now and there is nothing you can do about it."

As the voice from the speakers finished talking a crudely put together box made out of bent slices of sheet metal ascended from beneath the ground. A couple seconds afterwards a white doglike plushie with triangular, spiky sunglasses and a sharp, sharklike grin would backflip unto it from behind the box, finishing with a Y pose. On second thought he looked a bit more like a wolf. The spiky hair, the longer snout, and the pure white fur gave it a wolf like feel. He also had a barrel hanging off a red collar which made it clear it was supposed to be one of those avalanche rescue dogs. Fitting for a mountain I suppose. I wonder if that barrel has real alcohol in it?

Mad Scientist Kid: "WOOAAAH! HOW'D HE DO THAT?? THAT FLIP WAS COOL! A-AND THE SUNGLASSES?! WOWW!"

White Dog: "Thank you! Thank you! I do appreciate a good audience every once in a while. These sunglasses are my pride and joy,,, my deepest love and admiration,,"

Quite Obviously A Firefighter: "Is that... Plush speaking? Could it perhaps be, an ancient Golem?" 

Shiroinu: "I am not a plushie. And I am not a Golem either alright?! My name is... (drumrolls please,,,) Shiroinu! And don'tcha forget it!"

Shark-teethed Deviant: "Yeah, anyways you're here to explain what's going on right Mutt? Get on with it would you. Also is that thing you're standing on supposed to be a podium or something?"

Mutt: "Yep! It's even got the Hope's Peak logo stamped in the front so it's even more official! And it only has a slight chance of inflicting tetanus to anyone in a 5 meter radi- Wait did you just call me a Mutt?!"

Intimidating Priest: "Pay this young man no heed. Please continue and tell us about our situation, any information would be appreciated."

Shiroinu: "Hrnng.. Fine! Have it your way! But first, lets get started with some introductions shall we? I can't have you all k- live with each other if you don't even know each other's names. Phew! Almost gave it away right there. Anyways, you! Sleazeball! Introduce yourself will ya!"

Kio: "A-are you talking to me?"

Shiroinu: "Who else here is as sleazy as you? Just go on and introduce yourself!"

Kio: "Ok, don't rush me like that would you? Whatever, lets just get this over with. My name is Kio Hadachi."

Shiroinu: "Too dry! Too short! How do you expect me to get invested in your story like that young man!? You're really bad at this. You should at the very least have a talent no? Also you didn't deny it when I called you sleazy."

Kio: "Shut up! and I'm guessing that means you kidnapped us knowing exactly who we were. Why bother making us introduce ourselves?"

Shiroinu: "Of course I know who you guys are. You're sleazebag, she's fleas, that guy over there in the back is moneygrub, and that girl to the right with the serious expression is a hardcore pervert. Just introduce yourself already! You're gonna be here for a while you know?!? Atleast get acquainted with your peers over there for dog's sake!"

Kio: "...I'm Kio Hadachi and I'm the so called Ultimate Talent Scout. If there's one thing you need to know about me it's that I hate talent. Don't expect me to become close friends with any of you. I may have nothing against you but I'd still rather not."

Shiroinu: "...Yohohoho! A Talent Scout that hates talent? I couldn't think of a better joke even if I tried for my entire short dog-life. Oh man... I already knew that but hearing it from the man itself makes it even funnier! Yahahaha!"

Scruffy 70s Biker: "He's right that is pretty funny! What happened to get you that way? Oh man..."

Shiroinu: "Okay, yeah, the moment's passed. We aren't getting any more backstory from that Kio guy or whatever his name is. Let's move on to someone else shall we? Hmmm, let's see here... Ok! Fleas! Your turn!"

Fleas: "H-huh?! A-are you talking to me?"

Shiroinu: "Who else here has as many fle-"

Shark-teethed Deviant: "You've already used that gag."

Shiroinu: "Shut up moneygrub! It's not your turn yet! Geez! Kids these days! Anyways get a move on fleas, introduce yourself."

Midori Nishiyama: "Oh, uhm... My name is Midori Nishiyama and I'm the Ultimate Tailor! Nice to meet you everyone! I, uh, am not really sure what's going on but it seems sorta fun all things considered. Plus those clothes that dropped along with us? They were as good as mine! I need to know who it is that made them! I really want to talk to another tailor one day."

Contrary to what one might expect from her talent, Midori was actually wearing decently plain clothes. A simple but effective white wool sweater and a long light green skirt. I'm pretty confident she's wearing something under that skirt or otherwise I doubt she'd be able to stand this cold for very long. Her hair was blonde and styled in long braids and inserted in the braids were a couple colorful (probably fake) flowers. She was decently tall and had some freckles spread over her nose.

Shiroinu: "Okay, okay, yeah, shut up, that's enough out of you. Let's move on. Hmmmmmmm... You! Pompadour! Go!"

Scruffy 70s Biker: "Oh, me? H-haha well, uh my name is Masaru Takayama. I'm pretty reliable if I do say so myself so don't be afraid to ask for help! Oh, also call me Yama! I have a lot of friends who we call Taka so I just sort of got used to being called Yama. It's also sort of fitting with the uh, mountain thing going on. I-is that good enough..?"

Shiroinu: "You forgot your talent Pompadour. We can't move on without it. Amateurs..."

Yama: "Oh, well uh, funny thing is! I'm not really all that proud of my talent. I'd rather not say what exactly it is y'know?"

Shiroinu: "You what? Ugh! Whatever. Hey, sleaze! You said you were a talent scout right? What's Pompadour's talent already?"

Yama: "H-hey, what?! You can't jus-"

Shiroinu: "Quiet in the peanut gallery. Anyways, sleaze, talent, now."

Kio: "Uh, well..."

It was hard to tell from just a glance. His outfit definitely gave Ultimate Biker vibes, what, with the smallish pompadour hair style, the stained white tanktop, the mud-ridden baggy pants, and the ugly brown coat to top it off. And yet, something told me that wasn't it. Was his square and soft looking face not fit for a biker? No... It was...

Kio: "You're the Ultimate Cleaner aren't you?"

Yama: "W-what?! How'd you figure it out?"

Kio: "You smell like detergent and cleaning products. The smell probably stuck to you from work."

Otherwise I can't really explain why his clothes seem so dirty and yet he smells that way. He must be in contact with cleaning products a lot.

Yama: "D-damn..! Yeah, you're right. I really don't like mentioning it because it makes me feel dirty in a way, haha. Hey can I call you Wonder Kid? I'm gonna call you Wonder kid."

Wonder Kid: "What? No you can't. Don't call me Wonder Kid."

Shiroinu: "Alright, yeah! We're moving at a moderately decently paced speed now!"

Mad Scientist: "Ooh! Ooh! Do me! I wanna introduce myself!"

Shiroinu: "Anyways, you! Member #1 of the midget trio! Glasses girl! Your turn!"

Member #1 of the midget trio, Glasses girl: "Ha-w-what?! Ah! Uhm! C-can I go last please? I don't reall-"

Shiroinu: "Just shut up and do it already will ya?."

Oizumi Takeno: "Hawawawa..! I- uhm- My name's Oizumi Takeno! I'm... I'm the Ultimate Miner! I hope we can be great friends and uhm, pleased to meetc-cha!"

At first I cringed when Oizumi bit her tongue at the very last part of her introduction. She had finished it by bowing and stretching her right arm forwards as if to shake with nobody in particular. I'm pretty sure I heard someone stiffle a giggle behind me when her obviously too big, round, rimless glasses fell off her face right as she looked down. She flinched when her glasses plopped down on the steel below us which only made it all the more uh, charming. That would have been all my first impression of her amounted to, that is if I hadn't noticed that her bow was absolutely gorgeous. A perfect 90 degree angle. A back so straight you could stack 16 volumes of encyclopedias on it and she wouldn't even tremble. Her stretched out arm which didn't quite inspire confidence but more endearment. If this was a job interview, I would've easily given her the job. The bow was a talent of hers in and of itself as far as I cared, and yet nobody ended up shaking her hand or anything so she just stood there awkwardly for a few moments before silently picking up her glasses and robotically walking towards the back of the group to hide.

As for her clothes, they seemed just as awkward as the girl herself. As if it was a theme with her she wore an oversized mining helmet that shook whenever she moved. Atleast the helmet was tied down so even if she started running it wouldn't fall off. Unlike her glasses. Under that helmet were two peach colored ponytails that dropped all the way down to her pelvis. The strangest part of her attire however, was the fact that she wore a normal greenish gray sailor uniform under a yellow and stuffy miner uniform. 

Shiroinu: "Good enough. Next!"

Mad Scientist: "C-can I go now?! Is it my turn now!?!"

Shiroinu: "Ah yes, pervert. Your time to shine girl."

Pervert: "...My name is Meya Baumann. I'm officially the Ultimate Waitress, although most know me as the Ultimate Poster Girl. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Her little princess bow wasn't nearly as refined as Oizumi's but it was still nice to look at. Her outermost layer of clothes and protection against the cold included a grey jacket and a red scarf. Underneath that she was wearing a white and red dress that made her look like the spitting image of a stereotypical german waitress. If only she was blonde with long braids instead of having short dark blue hair. She had very, very pale white skin and although I err... Try to avoid mentioning this... Well. She was quite voluptuous in shape. Very voluptuous. She seemed cold and proper to me. I don't really get where the dog's nickname came from.

Meya: "...You!"

Kio: "M-me?"

Meya: "Yes, you! Am I wrong in assuming that you currently have 1/4th of a boner?"

Kio: "W-what?! Where the hell did that come from?!"

Meya: "My Boner Detector (BD) is never wrong. I have trained this ability of mine since I was but a mere child. Ah, but fret not! I do not mind that the flagpole is not fully raised. I appreciate even the floppy ones. And yours... I can sense potential in it! It has a good angle! Good (G) Job (J) (GJ) !"

I have never felt more violated by someone flashing a thumbs up my way in my life. This is the worst feeling I have ever experienced. Her nickname is earned. Fully. I have no idea how the fuck one is supposed to deal with this person. I imagine the places she works at have quite the unique atmosphere. You know with her "peculiar" brand of humor. I think I get why most know her as a poster girl rather than a waitress now.

Shiroinu: "...A-ahem! Well uh, haha is it hot in here or is it just me? Well uh, let's get on wi-"

Meya: "It is not you. My BD (Boner Detector) senses nothing out of you."

Shiroinu: "S-shaddup! This is why I was dreading this, I have no idea how I'm supposed to handle you. How do they expect me to function as a responsible caretaker when you creep me out like this! Just- Let's move on! You, idiot in the lab coat, anything but continuing this conversation."

I don't think I ever thought I'd end up relating to a stuffed animal with shades on in my life.

Idiot in the lab coat: "YES! I'm so excited! New people! New teachers! New opportunities to learn! Call me Haruto! My full name's Haruto Idabashi though, and I'm the Ultimate Robotics Expert. And I... I want to learn about romance! And emotions! I want to learn what makes something huma-"

Shiroinu: "Ok that's enough, we get it, you sound like you're more interested in romance than you are in robots. Go away now."

Haruto: "Hey, don't cut me short. And, and, robotics is about romance! It's all about romance get me?! What's the point in having heartless killing machines if you can't give them emotions to make logic errors over? All Isaac Asimov wrote about were robots with hints of love and purity. Can't you see something so simple?!? Oh, and and robotics and romance both start with ro. So there!"

Haruto was the spitting image of a mad scientist. A white lab coat full of dark oil stains near the bottom, a goddamn monocle on his left eye which I'm confident he didn't need, and white spiky hair with some gray lines. It was like he had jumped right out of a black and white showing of Frankenstein's Monster and into the real world. If it wasn't for the dark oil splashes, he'd be perfectly camouflaged in the snow on the mountain.

Currently pushing past him was someone I had scouted for the school. He was a bit of a cool and smug bastard hailing from the underworld. He looked to me like a weird amalgamation of a pimp, a rapper, and a prohibition era mobster. He had sharp, shark like teeth and a single gold tooth near the left side of his mouth. He wore primarily black and a trillby with a feather stuck on it, and he had a number of gold accesories including watches hidden underneath his sleeves.

Moneygrub/Shark-teethed Delinquent: "So anyways, name's Tetsu Kinya. Ultimate Debt Collector. Let's move this along faster since I want to get to the meat of this. In my experience these sort of situations usually spell out some pretty bad sentences if you know what I mean. If it were just me caught up in this shit I'd get it since I have quite the number of enemies, but with the entire class here its another matter entirely. I mean I doubt little miss glasses over there has anybody that wants her dead badly enough to infiltrate and kidnap her from right underneath Hope's Peak's nose."

Oizumi: "...N-not that I know of... No..."

Tetsu: "Here's what I'm thinking. Assuming this isn't an official Hope's Peak event or something along those lines and we truly have been kidnapped then there's only so many viable motives for it. One; Money, ransom's always on the table, Two;-"

Shiroinu: "Don't cut in line moneygrub. And please, for the love of god just let me finish! You'll have all the time to talk about your dumb theories once we finish these introductions so that I can get to explaining what is actually happening here."

Tetsu: "Hmm, fair enough, mutt."

Shiroinu: "..."

Tetsu: "...What?"

Shiroinu: "Aviator-wannabe, come up."

Aviator-wannabe: "I'ww have you knyow that I'm pewfectwy capabwe of fwying any owd pwanye."

Guessing by the look of sheer horror on his face that sounded as horrible to him as it did to me.

Koichi Hattori: "*COUGH* *COUGH*...I'll have you know that I'm perfectly capable of flying any old plane. I'm Koichi Hattori, the Ultimate Choffer, and I'm pretty confident that I can dwive any vehicwe-*COUGH*... Any vehicle."

Midget Mom: "A-are you ok? That coughing didn't sound very good... I can't imagine being up here on this mountain is doing you any favors."

Brat Boy: "Stay back Kasumi! I don't want you catching anything this guy has. Who knows where he's been, he's dirty!"

Koichi Hattori: "Oh, no, no it's fine really. It's just a speech tick that has been ingrained into the very basis of my being against my will. If you ever get any offers to take around the sweet, sweet, children of some guy from the top 1% of society around the world never accept it. Regardless of how insanely good the pay is. They'll strap you to a chair and call some wussians in to make you "Family Fwiendly". It's like they mowded me into this. I used to have the mouth of a sailow! A saiwow can you imaginye ^w^! I used to cuwse aww the time, say even the most howwibwe wowds that came to mind. NyOW WISTEN TO ME. THE CWOSEST I CAN GET TO ACTUAW CUWSE WORDS IS FIDDWESTICKS AND SHOOT. MY BODY WEJECTS EVEN THE LIGHTEST ONyES. IT'S HEcK ON EAWTH. THOSE BASTA-... BAST-... BASTAW-... THOSE BAD GWUYS DID SOMETHING TO ME. THEY WUINED ME. I CAN'T MAWWY ANYMOWE. I'M IMPUWE. A MONSTEW. IT'S NyOT FAIW >w< ."

Watching Koichi slowly break down into a mix of sobs and baby speak is easily one of those experiences that will haunt me for the rest of my life. A grown man in a slightly childish cosplay like outfit consisting of aviator goggles, a long, red scarf, brown coat, and white shirt was bawling his soul out in front of me. Even Shiroinu seemed unsure as to what to do. We were saved by the small, mom-like creature that had asked him if he was ok earlier. She'd hug him and pat his back while repeating "There, there..." as if it was some eldritch charm used in a spell. Godspeed Midget Mom. Meanwhile her brother tried to get her to stop hugging him from about 6 feet away just in the off chance he really was sick with something. It didn't seem to be working.

Shiroinu: "....Anyone else wants to introduce themselves?"

Blue She-Hulk: "...I will."

A gigantic girl (ogre?(colossus?)) had stepped out from behind the group this time. Somehow I hadn't even noticed her before despite her towering over everyone here. She was quite frankly, built like a truck. She could easily snap me like a twig using her pinky fingers. I was sort of surprised to see her in a full wetsuit. Was she just enduring the cold? Considering her size that is a possibility. She had long streaks of perfectly black hair behind her which would have probably been beautiful on anyone but her. No offense. Not that you can hear this.

Shiroinu: "Ah, goliath. Perfect! Let's move on."

Reiko Kazama: "I, am Reiko Kazama. People refer to me as the Ultimate Diver. My muscles... They help protect me against the crushing depths of the ocean. I love the ocean. It is pretty."

Midori: "Ah, if you don't mind me interrupting, could I examine your wetsuit real quick? You don't need to take it off or anything, I was just wondering how it was that you were fine in this cold. You aren't... just toughing it out are you?"

Reiko: "No. I, Reiko am very weak to the cold. Wetsuit is a special order so that I, Reiko do not feel cold in the dark depths of the ocean. Very much money was spent on it."

Midori: "You're right. This wetsuit... It's genius! It's sort of like a weird balloon! It traps and circulates the warmth generated from your own body around you creating a weird sort of heating system! Well wetsuits already do that but just not with air I guess... Today not one but two tailors have eluded me. The world is vast. Hm."

Shiroinu: "You sure do gush a lot about clothes don't you?"

Reiko: "My wetsuit will protect me from any form of gushing. I am impenetrable by gushing!"

Shiroinu: "Sure you are. Anyways members #2 and #3 of the legendary Midget Trio! Go!"

Member #2 of the legendary Midget Trio, Brat Boy: "I am not a midget. I just haven't hit my growth spurt yet!"

Member #3 of the legendary Midget Trio, Midget Mom: "You've been saying that for years Minato. Are you sure it's gonna come..? You don't really drink your milk either."

Member #2 of the legendary Midget Trio, Brat Boy: "Of course it'll come! My E.S.P. says so. It also says that milk is yucky and the growth thing is just a lie fed to you by a third party in order to boost sales. The corruption and conspiracy runs deep in the veins of the milk industry."

Member #3 of the legendary Midget Trio, Midget Mom: "I don't think your E.S.P. works like that. A-and I trust in the milk industry! They wouldn't just lie to us like that would they..?"

Member #2 of the legendary Midget Trio, Brat Boy: "You're too naive sister. The milk 1% only cares about profits. You know I'll protect you from them so don't worry!"

Member #3 of the legendary Midget Trio, Midget Mom: "Thanks Minato! That's really nice of you. Oh wait we were supposed to introduce ourselves I totally forgot..."

Minato Fujioka: "Oh. Right. I'm Minato Fujioka! The Ultimate Twin. My special Twin Connection allows me to know what Kasumi is doing at any given moment. Even if she was on the other side of the planet I'd know if she was thinking about getting some soup for dinner."

Kasumi: "That's right!"

Minato: "Yes, my E.S.P. is pretty amazing if I do say so myself. Institutions all over the world clamor to get a good look at my brain! It's just that good!."

Kasumi Fujioka: "And I'm Kasumi Fujioka. I'm Minato's twin! That's all really. This might sound a little surprising to you guys but I don't actually have a talent. Yet anyways, haha. Minato's talent needs me so Hope's Peak was willing to make an exception to let me stay. I just have to make up for it by getting good grades or something!"

Minato and Kasumi were certainly twins. They looked like carbon copies of each other from a glance, wearing greenish bubble coats with black fur on the trim and ushankas on top of their short gray hair. Even their voices sounded sort of similar. The only notable difference I can tell is that Kasumi had some freckles and green eyes while Minato had a clear face and blue eyes.

Shiroinu: "Ok there's about 5 people left now. Hey! ninja girl! The sound of your scribbling has been graining on my sensitive doggy ears so introduce yourself already!"

A girl with a notepad would pop up from the inside of a crate to our left. H-had she always been there? I've been standing next to that crate since before everyone arrived.

Ninja Girl: "Ahahaha... You noticed me?"

Shiroinu: "Of course! Most dogs have good senses of smell but I have great hearing. You were scribbling on that notepad of yours way too loud, how wouldn't I notice you?"

Sato Takahashi: "Well, this is a little bit akward but you can call me Sato Takahashi. I'm the Ultimate Journalist and well... K-Kio? Is that you?!"

FUCK. IT'S HER. 

Sato: "I-it totally is you! We haven't seen each other for a while now! What is it, a new record?"

Shit. I was hoping that record would last a little longer than a week. Sato's my self proclaimed childhood friend. To me she's sort of the face of my curse with talent. Out of any talented individual I've ever met she is easily the most common. Once a week at minimum common. I'd stumble on her everywhere. Hanging from the rafters of my favorite restaurant while eavesdropping on the conversations between the customers. Taking notes from inside lockers. Sneaking into places by crawling around under a cardboard box. At some point I just started making a connection between her and my curse. That's probably why before I knew it, my instincts had kicked in and I was running away.

Sato: "Really?! We haven't seen each other in a week and this is what you do?! Oh no you don't!"

I could hear her gain on me from behind as I instinctually ran for what seemed to be my life now. Sleek Gorilla. Monster Woman. Omnipresent Tomboy. Holy fuck. I have never understood how it is this girl is so athletic. She was in our class?? This entire time?? I'm not sure why I didn't even see it coming, it makes perfect sense. Of course she'd be in it, how else would she appear every day of my life from now on? She'S STILL GAINING ON ME YO. HOW IS SHE RUNNING THAT FAST YO, I HAD A HEAD START AND EVERYTHING. I'M FUCKED SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND ME. FUCK FUCK FUCKF UCK FUCK FUCK FCK FUCK FUCK FUCK PANIC PANIC FUCK JUST RUN YOU IDIOT STOP THINKING. HOLY FUCK I'M DOOMED.

Kio: "BACK OFF YOU CRAZY BITCH. LEAVE ME ALONE."

Sato: "MAKE ME DUMBASS."

The tackle was quick and painful. Before I knew it my ass was on the ground and Sato reigned supreme on top of me. This was it. Goodbye cruel world. Resigning myself to my fate was a much better option than struggling.

Sato: "You... Ha... You make a great chair... Idiot..."

Kio: "Ha... Damn, you're heavy."

The punch to the back of my head hurt more than I expected it to. Fully worth it though.

Sato: "...Why'd you even... Ha... Run off like that? I was just saying hi."

Kio: "...Something told me that I should..."

Shiroinu: "I'm just gonna skip the rest of your introduction Ninja Girl. We're at the homestretch after all!"

Sato: "W-wha-"

Kio: "Anyways, get off me!"

Sato: "Sure, sure you big baby."

Shiroinu: "Alright, whatever, you, calendar hunk! Front!"

Quite obviously a firefighter: "My name is Ryotaro Denshi! And you shall refer to me as such. I may be a hunk that poses in many calendars but I still expect to be treated with due respect. My title is the Ultimate Hero! I have come here from a faraway land to banish the darkness. And to teach kids about fire safety. But to save this world from darkness first."

He was quite obviously a firefighter. Not a Wyvern Quest hero. His talent was also quite obviously the Ultimate Firefighter. The stuffy black outfit with yellow lines and the red firefighter helmet with 037 printed on it were more than enough indication. Out of anyone here he might have been the warmest. 

Shiroinu: "One more down. 3 more to go! Ey! Brass chick! Let's hear whatchu got."

Brass chick: "Heh. Brass chick's a good one! I almost named myself that when I was first starting out (I think). I'm Aya. Aya Koseki. Ultimate Jazzist and all that jazz. Lol."

Yama: "Did you just lol in real life?"

Aya: "Yah."

Yama: "...Fair 'nough."

Aya: "Oh, and I almost forgot, but see these sunglasses? I'm actually blind. All blind people are destined to be great at jazz after all. That's just the way the world functions at the most basic level."

Shiroinu: "She's not actually blind."

Aya: "Hey! Why you gotta rain on my parade like that shades-bro? And I'll have you know that I am in fact blind. Colorblind."

Shiroinu: "I'm pretty sure being colorblind doesn't cou-"

Aya: "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU THESE COLORS TO WHICH I AM BLIND TO ARE TOO BRIGHT. COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID."

Shiroinu: "I-"

Aya: "IS SOMEBODY COOKING SOMETHING IT SMELLS REALLY STRONGLY IN HERE PLEASE SPEAK UP."

Aya was loud, but she also gave me strong laid back vibes. Like she didn't really care much about anything. A good stoner friend if anything. She wore circular sunglasses as opposed to the dog's triangular, sharp, shades and a purple hoodie that made her stand out somewhat.

Shiroinu: "...Ah-... As I was saying, we're pretty much right on the home stretch! Please give a warm welcome to participant..... NUMBAAHH FIFFTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN, ICHIROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO KOBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Ichiro Kobe: "Is there any particular reason why you did not give me a nickname?"

Shiroinu: "Out of all of you stooges I respect you the most. What, did you want one or something? I mean I could think of o-"

Ichiro: "N-no! It's fine. I can take it from here thank you. As Shiroinu here stated, I'm Ichiro Kobe. Ultimate Butcher."

Kio: "Y-you're what?"

Ichiro: "The Ultimate Butcher. Don't let my clothes cloud your sight. I'm only a priest as a hobby."

That sentence barely made sense. Is it possible for somebody to be a priest as a hobby? Is it really just a hobby if you're walking around in full black and white priest garments with the golden cross necklace and everything? ...Although I will admit that his face looked more fit for a butcher than a priest. He had many scars running across his brownish skin and along with the booming voice he felt really intimidating in a sense.

Shiroinu: "And last but not least, ladies and gentlemen meet..... Drunkard! (yay! woo! finally!! woo!)"

...

Shiroinu: "Hello..? Are you there drunkard? Bottles got you up in heaven again?"

Drunkard: "...I have never drank a single drop in my life. My name is Nikka Taketsuro. I'm also the Ultimate Bartender."

Nikka was someone else I had met before. She was quiet, methodical, and in a sense serene. Frankly I've heard more about her than I've seen. The bar she manages with her family is called "The Ice Queen" and like its name suggests it was rather solemn and quiet instead of cheery and loud. Customers would come not to enjoy themselves but to take a break from life. To cry their hearts out to somebody they didn't know and to be in good company and yet, alone. Nikka was serious and passive, quietly listening to the stories of many solitary and heartbroken men, and sympathizing with a couple meaningful words. Her queenlike majesty was something rarely interrupted but whenever someone so much as grazed her when she wasn't expecting it they'd find themselves flying through the air, thrown across the room by the wrist.

She was currently wearing a full black tuxedo, white gloves, and black leggings extremely reminiscent of what you'd expect a butler or maybe a conductor in a really fancy orchestra to look like. Her crimson red hair was tied into a ponytail that hung behind her head and she had light blue eyes.

Nikka: "So... You said you had something to explain to us?"

Shiroinu: "Very much so drunkard! In fact, I know we just got past the introductions, but let's start with me explaining what my job here is. I am your new substitute homeroom teacher!"

Yama: "So this is just a school event?"

Shiroinu: "Not. At. All. I can assure you guys, you are very, very, veryyyyyyy far from home. Nobody's gonna find ya here in a million years!"

Yama: "S-so we were kidnapped then?"

Shiroinu: "Well~... Not exactly. But I'm not allowed to expand on that. I have an agenda I need you guys to fill after all."

Tatsu: "...Agenda you say?"

Shiroinu: "Yep! How do I say this... I really, really, really need you guys to

#  murder your fellow student. 

...

...

..Ha?

Through a grand total of 4 words the dog had destroyed any remain of that happy and relaxed atmosphere we had when we were introducing ourselves. My mind hadn't fully processed those words that dripped with venomous intent.

Shiroinu: "...What, cat got your tongue? Yihihihi... The initial reaction is always grand! Oh how I love it! Did you guys seriously not understand what I said?! Need a refresher? I need you guys to **kill each other! To massacre the friends along the way! Incinerate those that dared stand before you! Stab! Shank! Poisonnnnn!!! Ooh, I know! Decapitation! OBLITERATION THROUGH YOUR MOST POWERFUL EXPLOSIVES!!! The simple, yet elegant act of beating another man to death with your fists and your fists only! Don't you want to see the flesh drip of-**"

Koichi: "A-ALRIGHT WE GET IT! STOP!"

Shiroinu: "Ah, do ya know? Sorry for getting carried away and all, I mean it is my job after all."

Each example only sent more and more shivers down my spine. If this was a joke it was in the worst taste imaginable. Some of us were whispering amongst each other, wondering if this was really happening or not.

Tatsu: "....haha...hAHAHAHAHAHA! OH MAN! SO ** THAT'S ** THE SITUATION WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES IN! YOU'RE JUST A DIRTY FUCKING PSYCOPATH AREN'T YOU?! Oh-oh man this is just too good!"

Shiroinu: "Oh, calm down. I don't want you guys to participate in senseless slaughter~! That is sooo last decade. What I want you guys to take place in, is a simple ** Killing Game **, that's all!"

Tatsu: "And it just keeps on getting better and better! I gotta say! The gameification really adds to the experience. So there's rules to this then??"

Most of us were staring, bewildered or in disgust, at the conversation unfolding in front of us. Tatsu even seemed pleased by the turn of events.

Tatsu: "Oh come on you guys! If it's a game, then any of us have a chance! Rules are meant to be used as weapons in these y'know? Why not accept the gift you've been given with grace? For all we know, since this is a game, it might even have rewards for us!"

Shiroinu: "Good (G) Pass (P) (GP) ! You're completely right! After all, what's a game without incentive eh?"

Midori: "...S-so what's that... Reward then?"

Shiroinu: "Simple! Your freedom! If you kill someone, become the "blackened", and get away with it while none is the wiser, then you get to see your family again! All those friends and loved ones you left behind are probably really worried right now.... That is, I mean, if they haven't forgotten about you already. Or, well, maybe you don't have anyone waiting for you back home, I would still consider escaping a game in which your life is at danger at any given moment worth it!"

Tatsu: "That's all? Really man? You couldn't even offer us some money for the trouble or something? I mean you clearly have more than you need if you were able to set this whole thing up."

Shiroinu: "I haven't finished yet. That isn't the only incentive you guys will get however... For each "Round" of murders we do, I will present to you a motive of some kind. It could be money! Maybe the panties of your crush! Maybe it's a letter from your sister, pleading for you to come back home! Who knows!"

Nikka: "...Round?"

Shiroinu: "Yep! I'll be separating each murder into its own little tidy episode in this grand little show of ours. The maximum amount of people that can get murdered in any given round is 2, although I will make an exception if any kill beyond that is done in a span of 8 seconds from the last one, so if you happen to be feeling athletic you could totally go on a knife killing rampage and mow down everyone in your path. I don't really recommend that however, as if your little combo ever gets broken in the middle then everyone will know who you are and you'll be "Punished" at the end of the round. Oh, also if anyone manages to win a round and escape this place then everyone else left behind will be punished."

Reiko: "What do you mean by 'Punish'?"

Shiroinu: "Ohohoho.... You don't want to know. Oh! I almost forgot. I have a gift for you all!"

Even though most of us were still frozen in place, Shiroinu would go around and pass something akin to a tablet to everyone with a smug grin on his face.

Shiroinu: "What you now have in your grubby little non-paws is your very own E-Handbook! This handy little apparatus of yours includes many handy functions! When opened it will display the information of the owner so this also doubles as your I.D. card! Try to keep it on you at all times, after all if you die and your face gets mangled it might be the only way to identify you! You might also need it to enter certain places such as the bathrooms. Boys won't be allowed to enter the girl's bathroom and the other way around."

Meya: "If I may so inqu-"

Shiroinu: "You may not lend each other your e-handbook and even less so if you're using it to sneak into bathrooms."

Meya: "I see..."

Shiroinu: "Anyways the E-Handbook also contains a list of the rules that will be employed during your stay here (which I implore you to read if you want to survive) and a very useful map! In fact, everybody open your map right now, I have something to show you."

As my handbook flared to life my name and gender would pop up on the screen before giving way to a list of options. I selected the map function and continued to listen to Shiroinu's explanation.

Shiroinu: "As you can so plainly see, we are currently located in an abandonded little skii resort at [UNKNOWN MOUNTAINRANGE]. You may notice that the map doesn't only show the peak you're on but also another four arranged around the big, bad, most dangerous peak of them all, The Judgement Grounds. Whenever you guys manage to fend off some dirty murderer then I'll unlock a lift that will take you to the next peak in about 10 minutes. So, if you get tired of the view and want something new, you're always welcome to incite others to kill each other so that you can swoop in afterwards to get the "evil" guy punished. Incentive, hooray!"

Aya: "...Hey excuse me dog but would you have any proof..?"

Shiroinu: "Proof? Proof of what?"

Aya: "That, well, you know... we're on a Killing Game or whatever... This doesn't really feel real... N-none of us would kill anyone"

Some of the group would nod at this.

Yama: "She's right. This all feels bogus!"

Minato: "I'm not willing to participate in anything that could harm my sister! You have to try better than that! Let us go home!"

Kasumi: "Y-yeah! You can't keep us here!"

Ryotaro: "This is clearly an act of evil. If you do not want to be smitten then release us!"

Koichi: "YEAH >w< ! JUST WET US OUT MAN, THIS ISN'T FUNNY ANYMOWE."

Shiroinu: "...You guys really just don't get it do you? You can't go home! This mountain is your entire world now, and as the second in command in this world of yours I say murder is a go! go! go! You guys really want proof? Proof that your life's on the line here? That you should kill in order to not be killed yourself? Fine then! Here's my proof! Catch!"

Shiroinu had thrown something small at Aya after doing an exaggerated motion and after disposing of what seemed to be a bit of trash behind him.

Aya: "...What's... A-A GRENADE?!"

Aya had no time to think. She threw it by instinct towards the sky. The detonation had happened uncomfortable close and had she been a moment later things would not have been so pretty. For her or anyone near her. The terrified silence that closely followed the loud bang was more than enough confirmation for the dog.

Shiroinu: "So close. Oh well. You're free to believe me or not I guess. I'll just say that those who take the initiative will probably find you skeptics easy targets.... yahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Good luck~! And remember, keep your friends close and your enemies closer! If you hang around people long enough, they'll lower their guard juusst enough for you to SINK! THAT! KNIFE! IN! Cha-ciao!"

And just like that he was gone. He had jumped behind his crappy steel podium and disappeared like he had never been there in the first place. I doubt any of us were sure as to what to do now. We had found ourselves in something that seemed more than just unreal. Frankly I found myself just as flabbergasted at the whole ordeal. My head felt almost light after what had transpi-

Shiroinu: "Oh! I almost forgot. You see those cabins over there? Near the skii resort. They've got your names on them in the front. I taped the keys to each of them to the backs of your handbooks. My sister will come over every now and then and clean up for you guys. If you even think of doing anything to her I'll know. Okay then! Now for real! Cha-ciao!"

...

The students nervously looked at each other and stayed a fair distance apart. It was obvious there was a sudden rift between all of us now. If I had a spoon I could take a chunk out of the tension in the air and eat it. With a single show of power a paralyzing feeling of dread had spread to all of us. The chains of doubt had been cast, no doubt taking hold of everyone here. The person standing to your right could be plotting your death that very moment after all. The one to your left may have been considering his options. Kill or be killed was the be-all, end-all strategy at the moment and it felt like at any point in time anybody could attempt to inact it.

Atleast two people seemed to be unfazed by all this, and they were the first to break the cold silence that had propagated itself so effortlessly.

Tatsu: "...Do you think he'll actually let us leave even if we do end up murdering someone like he told us to?"

Nikka: "Frankly, I doubt it. He seemed like the type of person that would rather make the suffering last longer."

Tatsu: "So I guess that means we just have to play through his game blind and hope he isn't gonna go back on his word last minute then. Welp. Are you all just going to stare daggers into each other now? You guys have a lot of work to do you know."

Tatsu's mocking comment had forced everyone to reality.

Oizumi: "...A-are you planning to... kill someone..?"

Tatsu: "Of course not~. Atleast not yet anyways. Being the first to something is always a bad omen."

Ichiro: "Although I dislike your tone and the way you have been going about this... "game" I do agree that we have much to work on."

Koichi: "Well what are we supposed to do then? You say work but... whewe do we even begin?

Nikka: "Ideally, we would be looking for a way off the mountain."

Minato: "Are you dumb? We're so high up that it'd take days for us to climb down to the bottom! J-just look at that cliff over there!"

Kasumi: "Plus... None of us have any experience mountain climbing right..? I have a bad feeling about trying to make our way down slowly like that... Would we be able to do it before sundown?"

Sato: "It's already more than cold enough. We'd die from hypothermia if we had to climb down at night."

Reiko: "...How can we be sure Shiroinu will not stop us from working together like we want to?"

Tatsu: "Well the rules in our handbooks do say that we are free to explore this place to our heart's content"

Nikka: "They also state that we are not allowed to leave the premises."

Shiroinu: "I couldn't care less if you guys plot together. It's not like you're gonna find a way out of this place anyways! If you want to kill yourself slowly climbing down that cliff then be my guest."

Aya: "WOAH! H-how do you keep appearing out of nowhere like that?! Do you wanna fight huh!? Come for a round two!? I haven't thanked you for that gift of yours yet!"

Shiroinu: "Woah there girl! If you wanna go then let's! I can tell you right now that it won't be a fair fight though."

Aya: "W-well... Actually I don't feel up to it right now. Maybe later with a referee..? You wouldn't beat up a blind lady would you?"

Shiroinu: "...Boring. Had you actually said yes I would have had a reason to kill you! You guys should really read the rules already, you know. Cha-ciao!"

Aya: "...I just let myself be intimidated by a plushie..."

Kio: "We probably should read those rules already huh."

Sato: "At this rate we're going to break a rule without knowing and die like Aya almost did."

Aya: "..."

Meya: "Let us examine these guidelines then."

As Sato peered over my shoulder I opened up my Handbook and navigated to the rules section.

### Killing School Vacation Life Regulations

##### 1\. Students are required to remain in the premises for as long as the Killing School Vacation Life is in progress. 

##### 2\. "Nighttime" is from 11 pm to 8 pm. Some areas are off-limits at night and most services will temporarily shut down during this period, so please exercise caution.

##### 3\. Students are encouraged to explore the resort with minimal limitations.

##### 4\. Your E-Handbooks are very important items. Make sure you do not damage them. Lending these to any other student is strictly prohibited.

##### 5\. Violence against any staff member is strictly prohibited, and will be met with full force. 

##### 6\. Mountain Etiquette states you should never chuck rocks off cliffs regardless of how small they are as even the smallest pebbles can gain enough momentum to kill. As such students may not dispose of evidence by throwing it off a cliff. Violations will be met with harsh punishments.

##### 7\. At unspecified times of day our staff will come clean the cabins one by one. If a student so wishes they may leave a note inside their room in order to call for Room Service. Room Service offers to restock any expended supplies you may need and will even recover lost items.

##### 8\. Once a murder takes place, a class trial will begin shortly thereafter. Participation is mandatory for all surviving students.

##### 9\. If the killer (here in after referred to as "the blackened") is correctly identified during the class trial, only the blackened will be punished for their crime. 

##### 10\. If the blackened cannot be identified, or if an incorrect student is identified as the blackened, all students except the blackened will be punished for the crime. 

##### 11\. If the blackened survives the class trial, they are declared the winner. At which point, they will be allowed to leave the vacational trip and re-enter the outside world.

##### 12\. If innocent students (hereinafter referred to as "the spotless") continue to survive class trials, the killing game will continue until only three or less students remain at which point the spotless will be granted victory.

##### 13\. The staff will never directly participate in a murder.

##### 14\. A body discovery announcement will be made when 3 or more students discover a corpse.

##### 15\. The blackened may only kill a maximum of two people during any single "killing game round". An exception is made if consequent murders are done in the next 8 seconds.

##### 16\. If two different murders by two different murderers occur at the same time, only the one whose victim was found first will be the blackened. 

##### 17\. In order to encourage betrayal, students are allowed to make "bets" on who the next victim will be with the Substitute Homeroom Teacher. Winning a bet will grant the student a "wish". This wish includes being freed from the vacational trip. Losing a bet means the student and they alone will be punished. This punishment is automatic and happens instantly the moment one is determined to have lost a bet.

##### 18\. Only a single bet will be allowed per round. The Substitute Homeroom Teacher has no obligation to declare if a student has submitted a bet until the end of the class trial at which point said student will be allowed to cash in their wish.

##### 19\. Additional rules may be added by staff at any point in time.

Sota would poke my cheek while I pondered about the rules. There was a lot in here that that dog didn't tell us. He implied it, but if you do murder someone then there will be a "Class Trial" procedure afterwards. Are we supposed to figure out who the killer is in these? And that betting system... The dog didn't tell us anything about it. "To encourage betrayal" was it? That's... such a shitty rule, but it is useful to know. Theoretically I could escape this place without having to kill someone by having the right guess huh. It's morbid but that might be my best choice. On the other hand it's way too risky.

Sota: "You shouldn't be considering playing that dog's game Kio. That's bad manners."

Kio: "I-I'm not! And stop poking me already!"

Yama: "T-these rules are fucked! Is that mutt really expecting us to play this crazy game of his?! Can't we all just ignore them and boycott this thing or something? He couldn't possibly kill all of us right?!"

Haruto: "Something's telling me that he totally would. Group suicide sounds romantic though so I don't mind!"

Koichi: "W-WELL I DO MIND! I DON'T WANT TO DIE STUCK HEWE WITH YOU GUYS. I HAVE SO MUCH TO WIVE FOW (・`ω´・) !"

Meya: "Personally, I find death would be a better alternative than being stuck with your 'dialect'."

Koichi: "SCHWU-*COUGH* *HACk* ...SHUT UP!"

Midori: "B-but why? Why do we have to kill each other?"

Tatsu: "Personally, I don't think it matters at this point. For all we know that mutt's doing this for "sport". All we gotta do now is follow the rules and make sure we don't end up dead."

Kasumi: "We should really forget about all that stuff about... Murder or whatever. Why not explore the resort? That should help get our spirits up!"

Minato: "WAIT! No. There might be TRAPS for us! Let them explore this place and we should go check out our cabins! Yeah! You're probably pretty tired about now."

Kasumi: "I-I'm not tired. I don't want to let the others explore without us..."

Kio: "Plus I doubt Shiroinu left any traps or the like. It defeats the point of mutual killing if he makes us concentrate on surviving first."

Kasumi: "...Yeah! Plus if there are, I know a bit of first aid! I'd feel really bad if anyone got hurt because I wasn't there to help..."

Minato: "Don't agree with him! He's smelly! And, and, dirty! And what was that word that the dog used sle...sleepy? Whatever! Go take a bath, ugly!"

Kio: "Wasn't your talent being a literal lab rat or something? Who are you to call me dirty?"

Minato: "W-well! Uh..! You should still take a bath, smelly!"

Sato: "Damn. He got you."

Yama: "Anyways we should really get on exploring this place huh? I'm a bit worried if he left us any supplies like food and shit. Also there might be something that could tell us where we are. Did you hear that demonic sound he made when he said [UKNOWN MOUNTAINRANGE] in that robotic voice?"

Koichi: "Y-you're d...dang right we should look around!"

Tatsu: "I'll go alone."

Oizumi: "W-wait why?"

Tatsu: "Well, there's always a chance one of you is currently planning murder in some way."

Nikka: "Aren't you the one who's thinking of this like a game?"

Tatsu: "Well, yeah. I guess so. I trust more in people who admit that they did consider the option than in sweethearts who swear they weren't at the very least piqued. I'd rather not take my chances."

Nikka: "...I'll also explore this place on my own."

And just like that little by little everyone started forming small groups or going off on their own. I couldn't really care less though, since I was planning on going on my own anyways. Or I was.

Sato: "So? Where are we going first?"

Kio: "I never said I wanted to go with you."

Sato: "Well if you'd rather I could just follow you from afar or something. You wouldn't notice me."

Kio: "I'd much rather know where you are than be stalked by an invisible ninja honestly."

Sato: "Does that mean I'm welcome to go with you? That perhaps you have oh so gracefully changed your mind?"

Kio: "If I said no you'd be constantly throwing nuts or something at me from where I can't see you to annoy me."

Sato: "Of course. How could I resist pelting you with circus products from your blind side?"

Kio: "Whatever, let's just move on somewhere."

I opened up my handbook to the map section and almost audibly gasped as a 3d extremely detailed geographical map started being projected into the air above it. This had to have taken the developers of this thing years to so painstakingly craft. Each of the lovingly rendered details popped up to life quickly.

Sato: "Hey, what do you think those buildings without areas are?"

Kio: "Well, its really hard to tell but i think the ones with the lines are some form of lift? Maybe gondolas. There are always lifts and the such in ski resorts aren't there?

Sato: "That seems like a pretty good bet to me. Do you think we'd be able to use them to leave this place?"

Kio: "...I doubt it. Let's get going."

Taking our first steps off the steel platform of the Junkyard and into the snow that infested the entirety of this mountain felt like a new beginning to me. As my feet sunk a surprisingly small amount on the white fluff I felt some form of childish excitement well up within me. It was a mix of exploration nerves and the thrill of touching snow. Snow would always feel like a special event to me.

And so with some white steam coming out of my mouth as I breathed in and out I took my first steps into the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm taking comissions for 300$ - lineart, 600$ - flat color, and 900$ - shaded. If furry fetish art add 100$ to that number.
> 
> lol
> 
> Cut short because I needed to post something at some point or else I would never continue this. Chances are I'll rewrite this a couple times later on when I have time. I'm most excited for the trials and murders honestly. They're what I've thought of the most while planning out this entire thing. The rules and specifically the betting system were enough to motivate me to post something for once in my life. The idea that one could make a bet and then instigate someone else to murder the victim they need is a cozy one that adds a lot to the idea of traitors imo. Man's just tryna win the game bro, geez.


End file.
